LYNCHBURG, Va. – Safeside Lynchburg’s indoor gun range is open again after nearly six weeks.
On Monday, a Lynchburg judge ordered a temporary injunction against Gov. Ralph Northam’s executive order to close nonessential businesses, including indoor ranges. The group filed a lawsuit in state court and pleaded their case last week.
To keep customers and staff safe, people will see Plexiglas shields up at every counter and tape on the ground to keep people 6 feet apart.
This all comes after a Lynchburg judge agreed Northam’s order violated the second amendment by closing indoor gun ranges.
SafeSide’s indoor range was only allowed to reopen Wednesday under the conditions it would practice social distancing and disinfect the store.
On Wednesday, co-owner Mitchell Tyler divided the building to keep indoor range customers separate from people who are shopping in the store.
To help eliminate same surface touching SafeSide has also suspended the rental program for guns, ear and eye protection, so people have to bring their own equipment.
Door handles and shooting bays are disinfected every hour after every customer.
“We’ll have up to 9 people in a bay, but we’re excited to get people back in the building and it’s not business as usual but if you’re looking for a place to come shoot inside, you got that new gun you want to train, this is why we made this fight,” Tyler said.
Tyler said customers who want to use the indoor range must wear a face covering.
“For the sake of everybody else, I think it’s a good idea,” Blake Roach, customer, said.
“So you can bring your own and wear it. We also have the three-ply surgical masks and KN95 masks for sale. So if someone comes in and they don’t have something we’re not going to turn them away,” Tyler said.
SafeSide wants its customers to know they’re still working out the technical issues with the signup system.